C-50 Human Relations Policy
of the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church

All members in regular standing will be given full and equal opportunity within the church to develop the knowledge and skills needed in the building up of the church, and all services and positions* of leadership on all levels of church activity will be open on the basis of qualifications without regard to race, color, gender*, national origin, ancestry, physical handicap, age, height, weight, marital status (single, married or widowed), or prior military service.

Membership and office in all churches and on all levels is to be available to anyone who qualifies.

In educational institutions there is to be equal opportunity in the employment of teachers or other personnel and in the admission of students.

Where normal entrance requirements are met, all Seventh-day Adventist schools from the elementary to the university level shall admit Seventh-day Adventist youth to the school of their choice. Where a church-supported school fails to follow the counsel of the Church, it is the duty of the next higher organization to investigate and recommend corrective measures.

Hospitals and nursing homes are to make no racial or gender distinctions in admitting patients or in making their facilities available to physicians, interns, residents, nurses, and administrators who meet the professional standards of the institution.

Human relations committees should be formed on each union and local conference level to study specific human relations problems. Workshops should be conducted to give guidance in dealing with local relationship problems.

Pastors may be appointed to any church regardless of their ethnic origin.
In order to make public ministry more effective and to help members and potential members realize the importance of the brotherhood, conference administrators are urged to make clear to pastors and evangelists that it is their duty to teach these principles as a part of the gospel and our special message for the world. Prospective members should be so instructed either in the baptismal class or in personal Bible studies.

*The words “all services and positions” used in this statement refer, in the case of women, to positions other than those requiring ordination.